Typist: BethanyTwo Saturdays a month, volunteers gather at The Union Gospel Mission in Seattle to provide free or discounted veterinary care, as well as pet food and pet care items, for qualified low-income or homeless pet owners. The Doney Memorial Pet Clinic is the legacy of Dr. Bud Doney, who saw a veterinary care need for the pets of homeless people in Seattle. Dr. Doney began to fill that need over 25 years ago, inspiring the formation of The Doney Clinic and it's hard working volunteers.

100% volunteer powered and entirely donation funded, The Doney Memorial veterinary clinic and food bank provide vital assistance to help less fortunate pet owners care for their best friends.

Volunteers at The Doney Clinic range in age from retired veterinarians to teenagers interested in the veterinary field. Volunteers come from all over the state, driving 4-6 hours to help sometimes 50 pets in 2 hours on clinic days. One volunteer is a former client of the clinic! Donors to The Doney Clinic come from all walks of life as well. An elementary school student recently made 8 jars of dog treats for a school project and donated them to the clinics food bank.

It is tough for an entirely volunteer run organization to raise interest, funds and donations when competing with flashy non-profits that have paid marketing and fundraising positions. I have personally witnessed The Doney Clinic struggle to please donors who are used to dealing with non-profits with paid employees. It's disappointing. Personally, I've always preferred donating to 100%

volunteer run organizations. I'd rather employ patience and understanding with a non-profit that is using 100% of my donation to help the cause instead of paying employees. And 100% volunteer fueled organizations like The Doney Clinic mean something. Everyone, from the board members to the vets to the bookkeeper, are doing this purely because they love it. That is volunteerism at it's finest!

The Doney Clinic is a cause that is near and dear to my heart because I believe the services they provide helps to keep animals out of the shelter. Clients of The Doney Clinic can still care for their pets despite difficult circumstances. People who have fallen on hard times need their pets more than ever and The Doney Clinic provides a way for less-fortunate people to not only keep their pets with them but to keep their pets healthy. I wish every city had a clinic like Doney!

What the Doney Clinic does is awesome. There are so many homeless people out there with pets that need help. It's a shame that there aren't more clinics around that help the low income and homeless with their pets.

Reply

Bethany

4/16/2013 04:04:55 am

One of my goals in blogging about The Doney Clinic was not only to raise awareness for it but to inspire other volunteers in other cities to get one going. Wouldn't it be amazing if clinic like Doney were everywhere?

What a wonderful place! As part of a small, all-volunteer dog rescue, I understand your pride in The Doney Clinic. It sounds like the perfect way to keep dogs OUT of rescue and in homes where they are clearly loved. Some people just need that little bit of assistance. I'm so glad to know you all are providing a helping hand for people and dogs alike.

Reply

Bethany

4/19/2013 02:19:23 am

Thank you, Kim. Keeping pets with their struggling but loving owners is exactly why I love The Doney Clinic and wish there was one in every city and town! We all need a little assistance occasionally.

DisclaimerCascadian Nomads are not
veterinarians, behaviorists or animal trainers. Always consult with a
veterinarian before starting or changing your pets exercise routine,
before traveling with your pet, before changing your pets diet or before
using any new pet products. Since all pets are unique individuals, consulting with a veterinarian, behaviorist or animal trainer about your pets specific needs is always recommended.

DisclosureEvery post Cascadian Nomads publishes that is sponsored by a company or brand or obtained through an affiliation with a media network will contain a disclosure paragraph. We do not use any affiliate links, just regular links to a product or company website. Cascadian Nomads only shares honest information that we feel is relevant to our readers whether a post is sponsored or not.

Privacy PolicyCascadian Nomads does not share personal information with third-parties nor do we store information we collect about your visit to this blog for use other than to analyze content performance for marketing purposes. We do use cookies and add-ons, which you can turn off at anytime by modifying your Internet browser's settings or opt out of add-ons. We are not responsible for the republishing of the content found on this blog on other Web sites or media without our permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice.

Copyrighted ContentPosts, words, photos or images from or featured on this blog may not be copied, reused or reproduced in any form without the prior express permission from the blog owner.